Life is so much better when you're organized

I bought bananas with the intention of eating a couple of them and making banana bread with the rest. 

A rare day-off was an opportunity for me to get baking.

Are you one of those people who have all the ingredients laid out and measured beforehand? Or is climbing up to get an ingredient, measuring it, then knocking over the container of flour while reaching for the baking soda more your style? I've done that method, too, and in the end, I have a mess all over the place and wonder what the heck is wrong with me.

You know when you're watching a cooking show and everything has been nicely measured out into little bowls so that making the dish seems so easy? It actually IS easy when you get organized.

 “Organizing is what you do before you do something,

 so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”

 – A.A. Milne

I liken the organized method of food preparation to the "clean-as-you-go method" for your home, otherwise known as "CAYG-ing".

   "The clean as you go method involves taking opportunities to clean continually

 throughout the working day and making cleaning part of your daily routine to ensure that

surfaces, equipment, waste, and the premises are clean, hygienic, and clutter free." 

I guess becoming a catalog librarian really was the right career choice for me. I'm nuts over organizing.

Living the IKEA way with "a place for everything and everything in its place" is my dream of a happy home. Add flowers, matching sofa pillows, and fresh linen, and I'm a happy non-camper. 

As I age, and the Prevagen doesn't seem to be working, getting organized is a big help for me.

I channel my super-organized friend, Janice, during these aging times...

  What would Janice do in this instance?

 Would she leave the email that she's writing in order to answer the text she just got?

No! No, she would not! 

Doing things deliberately is the way to manage the minutiae of life.

Today's recipe is a repeat performance - Stacia's Banana Bread. I've tweaked the recipe a bit with indications noted. This is my go-to choice for when I want to fool myself into believing that I'll only have a couple of pieces as a sweet treat. 

Stacia's Banana Bread with variations

½ c. shortening (I use butter)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 medium bananas, ripe and mashed

¼ c. chopped nuts (I use more)

¼ c. mini chocolate chips  

½ c. drained, chopped maraschino cherries (I like pitted sour cherries that I bought at Aldi's)

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs & beat well. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with bananas. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Bake in two greased 9 x 5 loaf pans at 350 for about 60 minutes.

Ingredients all set to go

Add-ins awaiting their turn